Electric welding



No. 6l6,436. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

H. F. A. KLEINSCHMIIIIT.

- ELECTRIC WELDING.

(Application filed Feb. 7, 1898.) [N0 Modei.)

W/TNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. A. KLEIN SCHMIDT, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BYDIRECT .AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE LORAIN STEEL COM- PANY, OF OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616. dated December 20,1898. Application filed February 7, 189B. Eerial No. 66U,352. (Nmodel.)-

To allwhom it may concern;

' Be it known that I, HENRY F. A. KLEIN- SOHMIDT, of Johnstown, in thecounty of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania have invented new-and usefulImprovements in Electric IVelding, of which the following is a'full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification. l

This invention (Case A) .relates to electric welding; and it is myobject to provide a novel method for the same by which I am enabled toeifect a hi ghly-efiicient weld without deteriorating the qualities ofthe steel and I 5 without subjecting the same to severe cooling strains.

The apparatus which I have shown and will describe by which my methodcan 'be put into effect is especially applicable for Weld- 2o ingsplice-bars to railsfor the construction of what is known as continuousrailway-track but as my invention is also applicable for Welding otherproducts I do not desire to limit myself to the welding of continuousrails.

2 5 Ordinarily methods of welding tend to destroy the toughness of themetal, because the high heat renders the metal crystalline,-and thesubsequent upsetting causes the coarse crystals to separate and weakentheir hold upon each other. In certain classesiof welding, such as whena member is welded to the side of a rail, very-severe strains are set upin the rail by the irregular heating and cooling and the sharp localcontrasts in the tem- 3 5 perature of the metal. This often causes therail to break below its normal strength; In this same class of weldingthe burning of the metal under high heat often leaves cavities therein,,WlllGll are not efleotually closed by I 40 the ordinary process ofupsetting. My invention is designed to obviateall of these troubios; andit consists in upsetting and simultanegusly compressing. the metal assoon as it is heated to the desired temperature and 5 then retainingsaidmetal under compression and in contact with cold metallic surfaces untilthe metal has become sufiiciently coldto be deprived of nearly all ofits plasticity.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows an apparatus for weldingcontinuous rails in moving in a cylinder d which receives wathe street.Fig. 2 shows a splice-bar which is A well fitted for use with myimproved method. Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of a completed weldbetween two splice-bars and a rail, taken on a line which would passthrough one of the bosses b.

A is the rail to which the splice-bars are to be welded.

B are the splice-bars.v

O isa stationary electric transformer, having terminals 0, adapted toengage the outside of the splice-bars.

D are arms which engage the back of the terminals 0', are pivoted at d,and are connected at their upper ends .to plungers d,

ter through pipes 01 connected with a handpump 01'. C y

In welding the bosses b to the rails the splice-bars are laid againstthe side of the rail 70 and the terminals C brought to the positionshown, in. Fig. 1. Current is then passed transversely through the railand the splice bars until a suitable temperature has been reached, whenthe pump 01 is operated and the terminals 0 moved'toward each other witha heavy pressure. The bosses I) extend only a very short distance fromthe main body ofthe bar, so that they will not prevent the bar frommaking close engagement with may have to bulge out will be prevented bythe rapid cooling and compression towhich they are subjected. Afterupsetting such a weld, whether with light or with heavy presfi sure, ithas been usual to immediately relieve the pressure and remove thetransformers from their contact with the bars. In accordance with thepresent invention, however, the pressure is'retained at its maximum forago considerable time, and -I have found that'this is of the utmostimportance. This time will vary under different conditions, but shouldlast until the temperature has fallen suflicientlyto remove anyconsiderable degree of '95 plasticity. I find that it is usually safe toremove the pressure if the temperature has fallen 'sufficiently so thatthere is practically. no glow given offby the cooling metal.

In thespeoific case shown the rail is about 10b 8o the rail and so thatany tendency which they six inches high and is about eight square inchesin cross-section. The pressure used is about twenty-live thousandpounds, and it is necessary for the best results to retain the metalunder this compression for about two minutes after the heating-currenthas been shut off. I do not, however, desire to limit invself to thesespecific details, which I have only set forth as showing what l havefound a preferred length of time for a particular form and size of Weld.

I do not lay claim in this application to the form of splice-bar which Ihave shmvn and dcscri'ocd, for this forms the subject-matter of anapplication for Letters Patent filed by me of even date herewith andserially numbered Yi hat I claim, and desire to protect by LettersPatent, is r 1. 'l" to the sides of rails which consists in passing theheating-current transversely through the ne method of electricallywelding oars c isc bars and rail, forming" the Weld by laterallycompressing the bars against the rail, and retaining the barscontinuously under compression and in contact with relatively cold metalsurfaces until said bars have cooled sufficiently to substantiallyremove their plasticity.

2. The method of electrically Welding bars to the sides of rails whichconsists in passing the heatingcurrent transversely through the bars andrail, forming the weld by laterally compressing the bars against therail, and re taining" said oars continuously under compression and incontact with cold conductingsuriaces until they have cooled suilicientlyto have lost substantially all appearance of glow.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my sig; nature in presence of twoWitnesses.

HENRY A. lililllNSCllliilD'l.

Tt ii'uesses:

Run-men Eran, fiirn'rnn Sunnrn.

